Basena calls for calm as Villa woes deepen
Fluffed opportunities. KCCA’s Allan Kyambadde and Villa’s Joseph Ssemujju (R) react after missing scoring opportunities. While KCCA are riding high on the table, SC VIlla are stack in a relegation dogfight already. Photos by John Batanudde and Eddie Chicco.
What you need to know:
- In Jinja, Daniel Shabena grabbed a brace as Bul thumped Ndejje University 4-1 to go second on 13 points, one above KCCA and as many behind leaders Vipers.
- Vipers had gone ahead on 34 minutes when Noah Wafula released Abraham Ndugwa down the right.
Kampala. SC Villa’s worst ever league start came to six matches without a win as they lost their third game 2-1 to Mbarara City at Kavumba Recreation Ground on Saturday.
Coach Moses Basena had to be helped out of the venue to the team bus by security after the match as a section of angry Villa fans charged up. Villa lost almost the entire first team during off season, including the entire senior coaching staff, forcing them to start from scratch this campaign.
Theirs, coached by former Cranes coach Basena, is a rag-tag collection of prospects and veterans, and has so far failed to master a win.
Asuman Alishe’s first half goal and Paul Mucureezi winner, 15 minutes from time relegated Bashir Mutanda’s to a consolation, and Basena to more soul searching.
“I think we are still on the right track,” Basena told Daily Monitor yesterday, We set up a team to be competitive.
“Being competitive does not stop at only winning games. You also have to assess the games.
“The boys are giving their best but we definitely have to improve and we shall improve, with time.”
Basena added: “It’s just two months. We all know how the club was when I came in. We had to just pick players from allover the place, so we shouldn’t expect a miracle in two months.” The former Villa player agrees with the fans agitation but calls on them to draw perspectives. “I agree with them but they should look at what we have. We are just patched up. They should put pressure but minimum pressure.”
Basena says he has his bosses backing because “they understand where we are and what we have but we all know we have to continue working harder.”
Elsewhere, the weekend’s biggest fixture between Vipers and KCCA produced some of the best football but hardly a winner at St Mary’s Kitende.
Sadam Juma should have won it for KCCA but saw his second half penalty saved by Fabien Mutombora with the scores at 1-1.
Vipers had gone ahead on 34 minutes when Noah Wafula released Abraham Ndugwa down the right.
Ndugwa then swept it across the face of goal for Duncan Sseninde to return a cut-back to the unmarked Daniel Sserunkuma for the striker’s fourth league goal.
KCCA levelled two minutes into the second half when Allan Okello delivered a telling free kick, which evaded Vipers legs and landed on Filbert Obenchan, who stabbed it home for the equaliser.
Tony Odur, Ibrahim Kayiwa and Mubaraka Nsubuga were on target as Express dispatched Paidha Black Angels 3-1 at Wankulukuku to go fifth on 11 points.
In Jinja, Daniel Shabena grabbed a brace as Bul thumped Ndejje University 4-1 to go second on 13 points, one above KCCA and as many behind leaders Vipers.
Nelson Ssenkatuka’s brace moved him to five goals as Bright Stars thrashed 10-man Kirinya-Jinja 4-1 at Mwererwe to move three up to fourth on 11 points. Kirinya’s Dan Sewava was sent off.
